159 Chapter 1317: I Didn’t Do It on Purpose (2/2)

I am only here to watch how the trial works! It isn't my turn yet, so why are you flinging your fists and howling at me?

Roar! Roar!

Being blocked out by a single finger further enraged the puppet. An aura of ferocity emanated from it as it drove its strength to its very limits, rotating its arm so swiftly that it almost appeared like a wheel.

However, with its head being kept at bay by Zhang Xuan's finger, no matter how fast its hands rotated, it was unable to hurt Zhang Xuan.

Instead, it felt like an electric fan, bringing a cooling breeze to him.

Since I didn't harm the puppet at all, this can't be considered as an infringement of the rules, right? Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction.

As he did not really interfere with the trial of another—his actions could only be considered as legitimate self-defense, and he did not destroy anything—his right to challenge the trial should not be revoked. After all the trouble he had gone through to come here, it would really be a huge annoyance if that was the case.

After keeping the puppet before him under control, he turned his sight back to the battling young lady and puppet.

After executing her secret art, while Senior Shui's complexion appeared to have considerably worsened, her fighting prowess did soar by leaps and bounds—she was nearly twice as strong as before.

Peng peng peng peng!

Previously, she had been forced to evade the puppet's attacks and find an opening to strike, but with her enhanced strength, she was already able to go head-to-head with the puppet. Under their furious clash, even the formation around the Corridor of Puppets seemed to shake unstably.

Her secret art is powerful, but… as a practitioner of water attribute cultivation techniques, she's abandoning her own strengths by going head on with the enemy.Zhang Xuan frowned.

With his current comprehension of combat, even without using the Library of Heaven's Path and Eye of Insight, he could still be considered a grandmaster. Those who cultivated water attribute cultivation techniques were capable of encompassing everything, and yet, the young lady actually chose to go head-to-head with her opponent.

She was clearly abandoning her very own roots.

It's true that this is the most efficient way for her to defeat the puppet given the current circumstances, but she will suffer tremendous damage as well. In fact, even her state of mind might waver.

Cultivators pursuing their own paths had to have absolute confidence in their cultivation techniques. Considering that the young lady practiced arts of the flexible water, it would be in contradiction to her own beliefs to engage in rigid and forceful offense. This would be a reflection that she had started doubting her path, and just like how the mind could influence the body, the body could also influence the mind.

Even if she managed to eventually defeat the puppet, this seed of doubt planted in her mind could have massive repercussions in the future.

Since I have already seen it, it wouldn't do for me to just watch idly by the side…

After a moment of hesitation, Zhang Xuan still chose to speak up.

”That… Senior Shui, you won't last long like this!”

”I won't last long like this?” Senior Shui was in the midst of battling against the puppet when she heard those words and jolted for an instant.

She had thought that by dumping a puppet with him, the young man would surely be chased all around the room like a rat running across the street. Yet, why was his voice still so clear, devoid of the slightest hint of exertion? He even had the leisure to say that she could not last long. She was a lady, so who said that she could not last long?

The one who is unable to last long enough should be you!

Senior Shui harrumphed coldly as she shot a glance in the direction where the voice originated from.

The next moment, her body froze.

The puppet that had left her in such a tough spot was currently throwing its arms forward like a shrew, and it was running forward so forcefully that a huge depression had been left on the ground. Yet, due to a finger placed on its forehead, it was simply unable to advance a single step forward.

What the heck is going on?

Wasn't the puppet extremely ferocious and powerful when it was fighting against me?

Why does it seem like it is acting coquettishly at this moment instead?

Could it be that this unkempt Leaving Aperture realm primary stage fellow is actually a hidden expert?

Hula!

Even though Senior Shui was shocked beyond words, the puppet she was facing could not possibly give her any time to take a breather. It immediately launched its second wave of attacks.

Left with no time for thought, she could only put aside the matter and hurriedly raise her guard.

However, due to her guard being put up in a rush, she was eventually overpowered and was forced several steps back. A suffocating sensation devoured her chest, and she felt her blood running erratically in her body, causing her body to ache greatly.

Suppressing the urge to vomit blood, Senior Shui asked with gritted teeth, ”What do you mean by I can't last long like this?”

”It won't do for you to go head on against the puppet. Given your strength, there's no need for you to do this to defeat it,” Zhang Xuan explained.

Hu la!

An abrupt gale of wind blasted toward Senior Shui's face. Astonished, she hurriedly backed away, but the shockwave from the puppet's punch still resulted in a red streak forming across her face, dealing her a searing pain.

With a few swift maneuvers, she quickly created some distance between her and the puppet before asking anxiously, ”Then how else should I face the puppets?”

”This… Will it be against the rules if I offer you guidance?” Zhang Xuan asked hesitantly.

”Of course not!” Senior Shui's body staggered upon hearing those words.

We are in a two-player challenge mode! How in the world would you offering guidance to me be against the rules?

”That's a relief…” With a quick sigh, Zhang Xuan was just about to impart some wisdom to Senior Shui when the puppet before him suddenly went on a rampage.

Roar!

It had struggled free from the might of his finger and charged forward.

”What are you roaring for? Can't you see that I'm busy?”

Displeased, Zhang Xuan sent a casual slap toward the puppet.

Pah!

The puppet's head rotated twice on its neck before being sent flying.

Putong!

It collapsed on the ground convulsing, clearly losing all fighting prowess.

”This…” Not expecting that a casual punch from him would cause that fellow's head to be sent flying, Zhang Xuan's lips twitched in frenzy. ”Did I accidentally use too much strength? But I didn't do it on purpose…”